


A gift from the heart.

by merryfortune



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS
Genre: Gen, Minor Aqua/Earth (Yu-Gi-Oh), Post canon, Slight Canon Divergence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-23
Updated: 2020-04-23
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:40:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23798605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/merryfortune/pseuds/merryfortune
Summary: In which the Crystal Heart finds yet another special home in someone's deck.
Relationships: Earth & Spectre (Yu-Gi-Oh), Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 11
Kudos: 14





	A gift from the heart.

Earth perched himself on the edge of the screen of Spectre’s Duel Disc. He sighed, mulling over what he held, as well as some recent memories. Unlike some of the other Ignis, Earth liked to live in the present; not the past or the future. However, sometimes some introspection was necessary.

A few hours ago, he had been summoned to the Neo Cyberse World inside the Link VRAINS to help with further reconstruction efforts. As Earth had a good work ethic, his own domain was basically complete. It helped that he didn’t have very many frivolous distractions such as designing SOLtiS bodies for himself. Part of his contract with the Knights of Hanoi was that he had to remain ‘manageable’ and that meant remaining at his present size as it limited him somewhat in ways that the Knights described as ‘rebellious’. Still, that didn’t mean all his freedom was limited. He was free to come and go between the networks and the real world, perfectly allowing him to aide his friends when they asked.

Today, he had been asked by Ai to help with his domain. He had also asked Flame and Aqua for the same favour. The lazy thing. Though, that soon turned to be ruse, like Earth had expected, and rather than getting any work done, they had something more akin to a party. Ultimately, Earth didn’t mind. It was important to bond with the people whom he cared about.

It even gave him the chance to do something which he had wanted to do for a very long time. Involving Aqua.

It gave him the chance to return the original Crystal Heart card to her.

Earth cherished the Crystal Heart card. When she had given it to him, it had confused him. She had said things which he didn’t get because they were regarding the future and he was someone very firmly planted in what he could see and feel in the present. As time went on, the future became the present and he was punished for that lack of foresight. He made rash decisions as he bullheadedly pursued her in her disappearance.

But that card, it gave him hope when all seemed grim because the twinkle of it on his preferred field reminded him of the way Aqua was and always would be too him: bright, sparkling, beautiful.

Yet despite these strong and fond memories attached to the card, perhaps even to the very fabric of Earth’s soul, all that all had been put to rest. Despite the insurmountable odds, and through someone else’s – Playmaker’s – bull-headed pursuit of whom he loved, all the Ignis could return. And with Aqua returned to his side, Earth saw no need to hold onto the card which connected their love and their bond. He had her after all.

Still, taking that desire and turning it into action was difficult. As strange and confusing as a gift as it was, initially, it was still a gift. Ergo, Earth found it gauche to return it and especially to Aqua who had given it to him. But he made it.

After the party had stilled somewhat, he and Aqua had slipped away, taking what the humans called “a breather”. They found somewhere nice and quiet to simply exist with each other. The place they found was on the edge of a copse of trees, a gentle meadow in which they could sit together quite different to the stony gazebo Ai had put up.

There they sat together, in silence, at first, with only the synthetic trees and breeze around them to enjoy but then they started talking. Doing private catch up that they hadn’t done with the others around thereby giving Earth his chance to do what he believed was right.

“There’s something I want to give you.” Earth said. He powered through feelings of doubt regarding whether his right thing truly was the right thing and raised his hand.

Aqua laughed at him almost immediately when the Crystal Heart card was summoned to his hand in a cavalcade of sparkles, white and blue. Earth felt his sensors burn and glow in embarrassment because of it. Aqua had such a beautiful and charming laugh, like the babbling of a brook, often Earth could listen to it for hypothetical hours but in this moment, Earth could find no delight in it as he felt it to be at his expense.

“I’m saying you should give it to someone else special to you.” Aqua clarified over her giggles.

She leaned in and pecked Earth’s cheek as he was silent, trying to work out who she meant by that. As far as Earth felt, Aqua was the only someone special to him but he did appreciate the nuzzle of her face against the side of his. It made him feel good in the midst of yet more befuddlement that she had given him.

“I have Marincess Crystal Heart,” Aqua mentioned as she pulled back, giving him some space as they sat together, hands on their knees, “it’s special to myself, Miyu, and Aoi. Crystal Heart, just by itself, is a special bond between us but think about it. There’s an attribute difference between them, hopefully that gives you a hint.”

“I understand.” Earth murmured.

Aqua giggled again. “I know when you lie, silly.”

Earth fumed with more embarrassment which Aqua found adorable.

“You’ll understand soon enough, for real.”

“Thank you.”

They sat together like that for a smidge bit longer afterwards. It was lovely, although did come with the drawback of upon returning to the others, they were accused of excessive canoodling. They did no such thing. That was far too lewd for where their relationship was currently at with handholding being their most audacious milestone in regard to public displays of affection. Still, there was camaraderie at being the reason for a jape, Earth figured so he tried his best to play it cool even though he did not like being the bottom of the joke.

So, with that, he bid his good friends farewell and returned to where he made his home in Spectre’s Duel Disc. He had a contentment in his soul when he opened his sole eye and was met with the ceiling of Spectre’s private quarters. But as he pulled himself up and into the open, that contentment melted away thus bringing him where he was presently. Staring at his physical copy of the Crystal Heart card, wondering whom he ought to give it to him.

Such a wonderment was beginning to heat him up with confusion as he knew a grant total of, like, twelve or so people max; five of whom weren’t even ‘people’ as they were Ignis. At least Spectre’s window was open. The sea breeze was quite pleasant and calmed him down as he overworked himself thinking. It reminded him of Aqua.

And, of course, thinking of Aqua whilst staring at her card and whilst basking in a sea breeze made him think of Marincess Crystal Heart. It truly was the better fit for her deck. After all Crystal Heart was incompatible with monsters outside of the Earth attribute and its playstyle was about being protected; Aqua was and deserved to be far more proactive than that. Unlike Earth who fixated like he did.

But even such practical musing didn’t help Earth much, so he felt as though his thoughts had nowhere further to progress. He couldn’t help but feel as though the answer ought to be plainly in front of his face.

The door opened. The sound of it completely disrupting Earth’s thinking and Spectre appeared.

“Welcome back, Earth,” he said, as though surprised that Earth would be here and across from the doorway at the desk beneath the window, “I hope that you weren’t by yourself for too long.”

“Of course not.” Earth said. “I have been back for all of... nine minutes.”

“Well, I hope you had fun with your friends after leaving this morning.” Spectre replied in a terse tone.

Earth nodded as he couldn’t think of anything engaging to say in turn. Spectre must have sensed that and in futility, he flashed Earth an awkward, perhaps even vaguely bitter, smile. But, at the very least, he came in further into his room. But. Then again. Why wouldn’t he? It was his room, after all.

They were both quiet as the tension was thick and less than palpable. Spectre stood in the middle of the room and Earth stared, still struggling to think of anything, at this point. They were, well, awkward but as Spectre took off his grey jacket, Earth realised something. Earth had figured out whom Aqua had cryptically suggested he ought to give his Crystal Heart card to, if he really wanted to give it away at all. And he did. He very much did.

“There’s something I want to give you, Spectre.” Earth piped up suddenly.

Spectre was taken aback, “There is?”

“Yes, there is, come closer.” Earth said.

Spectre dawdled as he drew in closer, he placed his hands on the back of his chair at his desk; it was immaculate. Earth looked up at him, holding tightly onto the Crystal Heart card – something which Spectre had noticed and consequently found odd.

“I want you to have this.” Earth said, holding the card higher. “Aqua gave it to me but I want you to have it.”

Spectre was further taken aback. His eyes glimmered, startled, but he hesitantly took the card. It was crisp beneath his fingertips. They clenched, uncertain as to whether or not to take it for he was secretly certain that Earth would change his mind.

“Are you sure? That seems like a rather intimate gift to pass on.” Spectre asked.

Earth nodded. “I am certain that I want you to have it.”

“Thank you.” Spectre murmured. “I will genuinely treasure it.”

“Hearing that means a lot to me.” Earth replied.

Spectre smiled to himself. It was a wonky and feeble smile, but it was very different to many of his other smiles, Earth was aware of.

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally written as a zine piece but I selected a different fic to enter in the zine (Are You Ready? by @cyberse-celebration on tumblr)


End file.
